moments of wonder

30 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by in be mindful, cabin living

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One thing that I love about living out in the wilderness is that you never ever know what you are going to see from one moment to the next. Often I’ll be busy completing a task and suddenly I’ll look up and see a beautiful bird, like this golden winged Northern Flicker (above) and I’ll catch my breath at the beauty of the moment. Just yesterday morning, I had another moment of wonder when I opened the back door to a small herd of deer snuffling around under the bird feeders. (I admit that after enjoying their beauty for a few minutes I let Lucy chase them. She lives for these moments and although she never catches them, she lives for the opportunity to try!) I have also been glimpsing both a red fox and a grey fox quite often this past month, usually at night and in the moonlight.

This makes me wonder how many moments do I miss each day simply because I am so engrossed in a task (and forgetting to look up once in a while) or perhaps because my mind is ‘somewhere else’ and not ‘here, now’. These fleeting glimpses of nature’s beauty are truly gifts. They take my breath away, make me smile and fill my days with magic and wonder.

wild berry muffins

27 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by in cook, wild berries

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It’s time to dip into those frozen berries that you picked last summer! For this recipe, use blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or Saskatoon berries; or a combination of any of these.

Wild Berry Muffins

2 cups organic all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup berries

icing sugar and/or cinnamon for dusting (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, place eggs, sugar, yogurt, butter and vanilla and beat until blended. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture along with the berries. Use a rubber spatula to fold together gently until just combined. Do not over-mix.  Place in muffin tray and sprinkle with a dusting of sugar and cinnamon (if desired).

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Turn onto a wire rack. Serve while still warm or later at room temperature.

Resource:

Elliot, R., & Treuille, E. (2001). Organic Cookbook: Naturally Good Food. New York:

Dorling Kindersley.

a very exciting day!

26 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by in more about us

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Hello Friends! As you may have read in the About Us section of this blog, I have been working on a Master’s degree at the University of Alberta in the Department of Educational Policy Studies (specializing in Indigenous Peoples Education) for the last five years. This has taken much longer than expected as I had switched from being a full-time student to part-time student (and part-time work) after the first year. All of last winter was spent here at the cabin, reworking and rewriting the thesis and I am happy to tell you that today I finally (finally!!!) sat for my oral defense.

The defense went very, very well and was an enjoyable experience. The committee asked me good questions and I was able to respond to all of them with thoughtful answers. After their private deliberation at the end, the committee decided that they had no further recommendations and congratulated me on a job well done. All that is left to do is submit the thesis and convocate (in spring). Hooray!

In case anyone is interested, the title of the work is: The Place Where Stories Are Shared: Two Indigenous Educators Enhance Their Pedagogies through Critical Reflection and Dialogue on Community-Based Education. My very dear friend, F, was my ‘co-creator’ and together we had many rich conversations about our experiences and challenges as Indigenous (Metis) teachers striving to teach in an ‘Indigenous way’.

I am very excited to be finishing this long academic journey and look forward to celebrating together with F and her family once we have our copies of the book in our hands. I am proud of this work and hope that it encourages other Indigenous educators, who may be asking the same questions that I was asking back when I was a brand new Indigenous teacher teaching in an Indigenous school. A heartfelt thank you to my supervisor, committee members, and all of the friends and colleagues who have supported and encouraged me over the years. Cheers!

spiced green lentil soup with spinach and lemon

25 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in cook

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I love this soup and make it often. The addition of lentils make this soup a hearty meal -especially when served with a wedge of homemade crusty brown bread.  Lentils are high in protein, fiber and iron. They are also an excellent source of essential B vitamins.

Spiced Green Lentil Soup with Spinach and Lemon

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 celery stalks, diced

2 medium potatoes, diced (note: I used yams today)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup green lentils

6 cups organic vegetable (or chicken) stock

1 lb spinach or swiss chard

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pot. Add the onion, garlic, celery, potato and cumin and cook, stirring frequently, over medium low heat until the potato is tender, about 10 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium. Add the lentils and stock and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat, partially cover and simmer gently until the lentils are tender, about 20-30 minutes.

Add the spinach or chard and cook until wilted but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into warm bowls and serve hot. Enjoy!

Variation: Hearty Green Lentil Soup with Bacon and Red Wine Vinegar

Omit the ground cumin. Add 4 chopped bacon slices with the onion, celery and potato to the pot. Cook as directed. Replace the lemon juice with 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar.

Resource:

Elliott, R., & Trueille, E. (2001). Organic Cookbook: Naturally Good Food. New York: Dorling Kinderley.

citrus barley salad

24 Tuesday Jan 2012

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Barley is an ancient grain and a good source of fiber. It also supplies trace minerals such as zinc, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper and iron, plus some B vitamins. Barley commonly appears in soups but its chewy texture makes it a wonderful addition to pilafs and salads.

Citrus Barley Salad

3 cups cooked barley

1 red pepper, diced

1 English cucumber, diced

1 medium red onion, diced,

2 stalks celery, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 cup broccoli florets

1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Juice of 1 orange

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oi

salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large bowl, combine the barley with all of the vegetables and chopped herbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss until vegetables are well-coated with the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

welcome year of the dragon

23 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by in appreciate the seasons

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Wishing you all a Happy Chinese New Year!

The above photo was taken at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas a few years ago. Click here to view some gorgeous photos taken just today in Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong and Russia on PhotoBlog.

According to Shireen Gonzaga on the EarthSky blog,

The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, in other words, a combination of solar and lunar calendars. It has a long history spanning several Chinese dynastic rules from as far back as the Shang Dynasty around fourteenth century B.C.. There are several different symbolic cycles within the calendar, used in Chinese astrology, that make it an intricate and complex measure of time.

A month in the Chinese calendar spans a single lunar cycle. The first day of the month begins during the new moon, when no sunlight falls on the lunar hemisphere that faces the Earth. A lunar cycle, on average, lasts 29.5 days, so a lunar month can last 29 or 30 days. Usually, there are 12 lunar months in a Chinese calendar year. In order to catch up with the solar calendar, which averages 365.25 days in a year, an extra month is added to the Chinese calendar every two or three years. As a result, Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year (in the Gregorian calendar) between January 21 and February 21.

Each year of the Chinese lunar calendar is represented by one of twelve animal symbols of the Chinese zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar. For 2012, it’s the dragon’s turn. According to Chinese astrology, people born on the year of the dragon are said to be strong, self-assured, eccentric, intellectual, and passionate, among other things.

Peace, happiness, prosperity!

a favorite winter poem

20 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by in appreciate the seasons

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I have had to be away away from the cabin unexpectedly these past few days and so have not been able to post. Having just got in late this evening, and with heavy snow in tonight’s forecast, I thought I would share one of my favorite winter poems. The picture above was taken at the Village on Pigeon Lake just a few weeks before Christmas.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost 

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

 

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

 

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

 

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

parmesan crisps

18 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in cook

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Incredibly quick and easy to make, these parmesan crisps add a special touch to any meal. As always, use the highest quality cheese you can find, such as Cloverleaf. Serve over a salad, as a tasty snack on its own, or as a crispy addition to your festive cheese platters.

Parmesan Crisps

1 cup parmesan cheese (parmigiano-reggiano) , freshly grated with a coarse grater

freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). On a nonstick baking sheet (I use parchment paper on the baking sheet) sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the grated cheese into little separate piles, about an inch in diameter. Grind pepper over each round (to taste). Bake the crisps until the edges just start to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Crisps can be stored in an air tight container. Enjoy!

gratitude for a quad, a plow and very helpful neighbors!

15 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by in appreciate the seasons, cabin living

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My heart is overflowing with gratitude and let me tell you why. Do you remember the record amount of snow that we received last winter? Yes, my first winter here at the cabin was a gorgeous winter wonderland. However, there was one small challenge… I did not own a snowblower and although I do own a quad and a plow, at the time I did not have the ‘know-how’ to put the two together in a functional way. So last winter, I shoveled. Yes… by hand. There was a handful of times when my lovely neighbor, P, across the street swooped in with his snowblower to give me a hand on the heaviest snowfall days (or when I was away) but otherwise, I insisted on doing it myself.

I actually do enjoy shoveling. I use this large, light aluminum shovel (pictured below) which makes it easy to push snow around. I often lose myself in the chore and catch myself making dump truck noises. The other bonus is that shoveling keeps me in great shape (that and the daily cross country skiing).

This Autumn, my neighbors, B and his son M, who live just up the road, volunteered to come and attach the plow to the quad for me (pictured at the top of this post). They helped me charge the battery, put air in the tires and showed me how to check the oil. They even put a hitch on the back (one of their own that they were no longer using) so that I can now pull my trailer around on the property.

The first time I used the plow I was amazed at how quick and easy it was to plow the driveway, which is quite large. I even plowed the road leading to the back of the property and the wood-chopping area. Amazing!

As you can see below, I will still be getting a fantastic shoveling work out as I still have the walkway and large front deck to shovel by hand. There is also a large deck out back that I like to keep clear. However, now with the help of the quad, the task of clearing snow will not be so daunting on days like today when there is a significant snowfall. Welcome, snow!!! Bring it on!!!

I am so grateful for the neighborly help, from all of my neighbors who keep a eye on this girl and help me in so many different ways. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by such kind, thoughtful and knowledgeable people. In return, I look forward to finding ways that I can be of help to them as we continue to live our lives out here at the lake.

potted apple strudel

14 Saturday Jan 2012

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Another fun use for those tiny terra cotta pots! Click here for directions on seasoning the pots.

Potted Apple Strudel

4 apples

1 tablespoon lemon juice, bottled or fresh

2 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

phyllo pastry (about 4 sheets)

1/2 cup butter, melted

icing sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degree (F).

Season your terra cotta pots. (Click here for directions) Butter the inside of the seasoned pots.

Add about 2 cups water and the lemon juice to a small saucepan. Peel apples and cut into small pieces and add to the water. Bring water to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes; then strain. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and walnuts to the apples and mix well.

Unfold phyllo pastry and cover with a damp tea towel to prevent dough from drying out. Lay one sheet on a flat surface and cut into three equal pieces (I use a round pizza cutter). Brush the phyllo with melted butter and line each pot with 2 small pieces of the pastry.

Fill each pastry-lined pot with about 1/4 cup of the apple mixture. Top with a small piece of buttered phyllo, crumpled up.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Brush the tops with more butter and allow to bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool. Sprinkle with icing sugar, if desired. Yield: 6 small terra cotta potted strudel.